Updated 14.05
CONNECTIONS HAVE VOWED to give Carlton House every possible opportunity to make Saturday’s Epsom Derby after the colt strained an ankle during a piece of work on Monday.
The three-year-old, owned by Queen Elizabeth II, has been touted as the favourite to take the 1m4f flat classic since his victory in the Group 2 Dante Stakes three weeks ago.
This morning’s Irish Examiner reported that a number of Irish bookmakers have allowed the horse’s price to drift with fears mounting that he will not recover in time to take his place in the race.
However, earlier today Irish website SportsNewsIreland reported a source close to trainer Michael Stoute’s stable as stating that the horse was back to full health and the injury scare was “nothing much.”
Speaking to Talksport this morning, Her Majesty’s racing manager John Warren refused to make any snap decision on the horse’s participation.
“We’ve got the next few days to see if it [the ankle strain] is cooling itself down – that’s going to be key,” Warren said. “The good thing is the horse is sound and he’s moving well.”
However, he insisted that the final decision would rest with Stoute who is unlikely to risk the colt’s future unless he is perfectly happy with his condition.
We’ve got a chance (of running). It’s not without a possibility that he’ll stand in the line-up. He won’t run unless the trainer is completely content that he’s sound. By Friday we’ll know more.
Seventeen horses remain in the Derby field ahead of tomorrow’s final declaration stage, five of whom are trained by Ballydoyle supremo Aidan O’Brien.
With the exception of Roderic O’Connor, who is expected to run in the Prix Du Jockey Club at Chantilly on Sunday, O’Brien’s remaining entries are expected to go to post as the trainer seeks his first win in the classic since High Chaparral in 2002.
Yesterday, it was announced that O’Brien had managed to convince three-time Derby winner Kieren Fallon to ride Recital, winner of the Derrinstown Trial, ahead of Ed Dunlop’s Native Khan.
Dunlop’s horse, who finished third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month, will now be ridden by Johnny Murtagh.
